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FIQE.

H. K. SYMMES, OF NEVTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

GAS-RETORT.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 22,591, dated January 11, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, H. K. SYMMns, of Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Retorts for Generating Illuminating-Gas, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a plan; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section through the center of the same; Fig. 3, a transverse section on the line :0, 0c, of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 a section showing a modification of my invention.

Retorts for the generation of illuminating gas from bituminous coal require to be replaced at intervals, the old ones being removed from the masonry which constitutes the body of the furnace by which they are surrounded and the new ones rest in the same position. The gas as it is generated in the retorts is received into vertical conductors called stand pipes through which it passes to the main. As the stand pipes serve the purpose only of conductors it is necessary that they be removed as far as possible from the influence of the fire for were they exposed directly thereto it would be necessary to replace them (or that portion of them which was exposed to the heat) whenever the retorts were re-set. That this may not be requisite and in order that the stand pipes may be permanent fixtures, it is necessary that they be connected with the retorts outside of the furnace, at some point without the influence of the great heat to which the retort is exposed. For this purpose after the retort is set a large iron box called a mouth piece is adapted to the mouth of the retort and to it the stand pipe is secured. The gas generated in the retort first enters the mouthpiece and passes thence to the stand pipe. There are however serious objections to the use of this mouthpiece, among which may be enumerated the following: 1st. The mouthpiece prevents the forward portion of the retort from reaching that degree of heat necessary to the formation of perfect gas and the material at this part of the retort is simply distilled to be again condensed into tar in the mouthpiece; from which results a great loss of material and a consequent diminution of product. 2nd. The expense of the mouthpiece is considerable, and one which it would be a great desideratum to save. 3rd. The workman is not enabled to throw the coal so far into the retort on account of the projecting mouthpiece, as he would be if the latter were away, consequently the length of the retort is limited by the mouthpiece, and might be greater were no mouthpiece employed.

To do away with the mouthpiece and to avoid the expense and other disadvantages attending its use, is the object of my present invention which consists in removing this appendage entirely from the retort and dividing the mouth of the retort into two portions by a flange or bar, one of the openings into the retort so formed being connected with the stand pipe and the other closed by a door which is removed for the purpose of re-charging the retort.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand my invention I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3, of the accompanying drawings my improvement is represented as applied to a retort in which the gas after being formed passes to the rear of the retort thence through a longitudinal passage C, back to its forward end this is a well known form of retort and need not be further described. To the forward end of the passage C, is secured the joint or elbow D, with the upper end 7' of which the stand pipe is connected. At E, is a door which closes the opening through which the retort is charged and the door 9 closes an opening through which either the passage C, or the stand pipe may be inspected or cleaned.

In Fig". a my improvements are represented as applied to a retort of ordinary construction, a flange or bar It, across the mouth of the retort serving at the same time to sustain the elbow D, and the door E.

I do not lay claim to any particular form of retort neither do I claim the passage C for the conduct of the gas from the rear of the retort to its mouth, nor for any other purpose.

WVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- Dispensing with the mouthpiece of the ordinary horizontal gas generating retort and dlvlding the mouth of the retort into tWo portions one of which is brought into 10 permanent connection With the stand pipe, the other being employed for the purpose of charging the retort as set forth.

H. K. SYMMES.

Witnesses:

Tnos. R. RoAcH, P. E. TESCI-IEMACHER. 

